Archive for June, 2012

Answers to the OUSA History of the OU quiz

Wednesday, June 27th, 2012

 

1. Who is the Open University’s current Chancellor? (more…)

He reads much, He is a great observer

Friday, June 22nd, 2012

In collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the BBC and World Shakespeare Festival, The Open University is responsible for a new production of Julius Caesar which is set in a modern African state. The stage version has received excellent reviews. The Daily Telegraph called it a ‘production of great pace, panache and originality’. The television version is to break conventions. Shot alongside the stage rehearsals and during the actual theatrical run in Stratford-upon-Avon it features a Royal Shakespeare Company cast. The academic consultant on the programme was Dr Edmund King of The Open University. This production follows in the footsteps of previous OU ventures with Shakespeare.

OUSA conference

Thursday, June 21st, 2012

The Open University Students Association (OUSA) is holding its conference 22-24 June on the Walton Hall campus.

There will opportunities  to learn about studying, careers, faculties, research and to meet the Vice Chancellor. There is also the History of the OU Quiz. You’ll be able to pick up copies when you come along to the talk about the history of the OU at 4pm in the Jennie Lee Building Room 1. Alternatively, you can pick up copies on the Campus History Tour. Meet at the OUSA Desk at 3pm. Both these events will take place on 22nd June. The quiz answers will appear on this blog on 27th June at two minutes past midnight.

Markets, Expertise and the Public University: A crisis in knowledge for democracy?

Thursday, June 21st, 2012

Regular readers will know that we often stress that one of the roots of the OU lies in the social democracy post-war welfare settlement as exemplified by the input of Wilson, Lee, Young, Perry and others. In addition it has been suggested that the OU also led the way towards some of the changes associated with the development of the quasi-market within the higher education sector. Now the relationship between democracy, the market and the universities is to be considered in a keynote address to be made at the OU. (more…)

Open learning is a movement that isn’t going to go away

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

The idea that technology can be deployed to support learners isn’t new to those who work at the OU. Suddenly, however, it is in the headlines because Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have formed a $60m (£38m) alliance to launch edX, a platform to deliver courses online – with the modest ambition of ‘revolutionising education around the world’.

(more…)

Toxic Shock

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

Higher education, once high on the government’s agenda, seems to have slipped down the list part way through the reform of the sector. In order to aid resolution of this matter Hefce, the Higher Education Funding Council for England whivh was designed as a funding body, not a planning one,  has become (in England) the ‘lead regulator’ of the quasi-privatised HE sector. As there is no cap on students numbers (there was in the past) those who wish to study through the OU can take out a loan, Hefce has not much control over those universities which teaches relatively little expensive science and are likely to gain most of their income from non-Hefce sources. (more…)